Business News

Wetherspoon is to create 300 jobs at a new pub and hotel development in Dublin city centre.

The UK pub chain is to start development work on its new pub and hotel located in Camden Street Upper and Camden Street Lower on May 8.

The pub and 92 room hotel, which is set to open in the summer of 2019, is being developed in a row of derelict properties at a cost of €18.5m.

“We are looking forward to developing the site into a fantastic pub and hotel,” Tim Martin, Wetherspoons chairman, said.

The development is set to big the biggest single investment undertaken by Wetherspoon and will result in its largest hotel alongside a pub.

“Our pubs in the Republic of Ireland are thriving and we are confident that the pub and hotel will be a great asset to Dublin and act as a catalyst for other businesses to invest in the city.”

The pub will be set over two levels and feature a courtyard beer garden, and a number of original features of the derelict buildings will be retained and restored.

This includes the circular stained glass window which was crafted by Earley & Company (church decorators, stained glass manufacturers and stone carvers), who were based at the site.

The window on the façade of 5 Upper Camden Street is considered to be the work of John Earley – son of the founder of the company.

Part of the terrace was also a convent of the Little Sisters of Assumption – from 1890 until the 1940s and their former chapel will also be preserved and form part of the new pub and hotel, a statement from Wetherspoon said.

A boxing gym that was based in the chapel will be referenced with artwork.

And a name for the pub and hotel has already been chosen.

It will be called Keavan’s Port Hotel, which is based on evidence from a series of historic maps and records dating back to 1673, showing that the original name of Camden Street Upper and Lower is Keavans Port.